Adjustable blind for television sets



April 24, 1962 N. L. OBERSTEIN ADJUSTABLE BLIND FOR TELEVISION SETS Filed June 22. 1959 INVENTOR. NATHANLOBEQSTf/N nited States Patent 3,031,526 ADJUSTABLE BLIND FOR TELEVISION SETS Nathan L. Oberstein, Bronx, NY. (67-50 164th St., Flushing 65, NY.) Filed June 22, 1959, Ser. No. 821,987 4 Claims. (Cl. 178-182) This invention relates to a device for use in combination with a television set to block off a portion of the viewing sector of the picture screen to a preselected degree as desired.

During use of television sets in the home or even elsewhere it frequently is desired for one reason or another to limit the area in front of the set within which the picture screen may be observed. With two or more persons in, for example, a relatively small living space, it may be that less than the total number present wish to watch the television set, whereas the remainder of the group prefer not to be spectators and do not wish to be bothered or inconvenienced by the light from the screen. In other instances it may be desired to limit the stray glare or confine it within a preselected area.

Completely apart from the above instances it is frequently desirable to have adjustable protection of the screen against ultra violet rays from the sun which are said to contribute to deterioration of the phosphor coating on the picture tube of the television set.

The present invention provides means for accomplishing the above objects with a simple and relatively inexpensive structure. Described briefly the invention is an adjustable opaque blind for use in combination with a television set to vary the visible sector of the picture screen in a horizontal plane. The blind comprises a flat rectangular vertical member being of greater area than the picture screen of the television set and adapted for disposition in front of said screen. The rear side of the vertical member has a dull surface of low light-reflecting characteristics, a rearwardly disposed supporting arm integrally formed with the upper edge portion of said member, and a suction cup and pin combination near the outer end of said arm adapted for rotatably afiixing said blind to the top of said set for movement of said member into said sector between the viewers and the picture screen to the extent desired. A rearwardly disposed bottom flange portion is provided on said member and reinforcing braces interconnect said member with said arm and said flange.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be come apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein certain embodiments of this invention are set forth by way of illustration and example.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention as mounted on a television set;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the structure of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of one embodiment of the invention and a television set; and

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a flat cardboard form of the embodiment of FIGURES 1-3 prior to assembly.

One embodiment of the shade or blind of the invention is shown in FIGURES 14 and designated generally by the reference numeral 10. As shown in FIGURE 4 the structure is derived from a unitary fiat form of cardboard or the like and comprises a main rectangular section 11 having an elongated triangular extension 12 along one edge 13 thereof and an arcuate flange member 14 disposed along a portion of an opposed edge 15 of said main section. The triangular extension 12 has a mounting hole 16 near its outer rounded vertex portion 17 for purposes to be described hereinafter.

Edge portion 18 common to the main section 11 and the extension 12, as well as edge portion 19 common to the main section 12 and the flange member 14, are adapted for easy folding therealong by perforations, indentations or the like, so that when it is desired to prepare the structure for use it can be done quickly and easily.

The front side or face 20 of the main rectangular section 11 may contain any desired color or design, or for example, advertising material if desired, and the rear side 21 may be provided with a dull surface of low lightrefiecting characteristics, e.g. dull black or the like.

In use the triangular extension 12 and arcuate flange portion 14 are folded along their perforated lines 18 and 19 respectively to a position relative to the main rectangular section 11 to bring them into an opposed relation to one another as shown in FIGURES 1-3 inclusive. Reinforcing braces 22, 23 may be provided as shown, interconnecting the main rectangular section 11 with the triangular extension 12 and the arcuate flange 14, to provide a stiffer structure and to maintain the respective elements in a fixed relation. Such braces 22, 23 may be of the same material as the rest of the structure and may be aflixed thereto by any suitable means such as glue etc.

Pivot means 24, which may be for example a rubber suction cup 25, having a pin 26 extending from the top thereof is secured to the top 27 of the television set 28 in the usual fashion. Then the shade or blind 10 is placed, so that the mounting hole 16 on the triangular extension 12 engages the pin 26 and the shade structure is thereby supported in a position relative to the television set, so that the rectangular section 11 is movable as a vertical member in front of the picture screen 29 as shown in FIGURE 2. The rectangular section 11, being of greater dimensions than the picture screen 29 can be manually positioned about its pivot 24 to block off in a horizontal plane the viewing sector of the picture screen 29 to any preselected degree, i.e. from 0 to As shown in FIGURE 1, it is thus possible to adjust the shade 10, so that in one direction (as indicated by arrow A) the screen 29' will not be visible, whereas in another direction (as shown by arrow B) the screen 29 will be visible. The dull rear surface 21 of the rectangular member 11 prevents glare from being reflected into the eyes of the viewer along the visible sector of arrow B.

The outer side edges 30 and 31 of the rectangular member 11 may be curved as shown.

The present invention thus provides a device fulfilling the aforesaid objects. In addition it also provides suitable protective means for the front of the television set when not in use. The device is easily manufactured and easily assembled when desired to be put into use. It is easily adapted for distribution as advertising material and might either be used to advertise manufacturers products or television shows or other things. In any event its highly novel features provide a device hitherto unknown in the art.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that certain changes and additions may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A movable shade for use in combination with a television set to block off a portion of the viewing sector to a preselected degree, said shade comprising a vertical cover being of greater area than the picture screen of said set and adapted for disposition in front of said screen, the rear side of said cover having a dull surface of low light-reflecting characteristics, a rearwardly disposed horizontal supporting arm integrally formed with the upper edge portion of said cover, and a suction cup and pin combination near the outer end of said arm adapted for rotatably aflixing said shade to the top of said set for horizontal swinging movement of said cover into said sector between the viewers and the picture screen to the extent desired, and a bottom flange portion on said cover.

2. A movable shade for use in combination with a television set to block off a portion of the viewing sector to a preselected degree, said shade comprising a vertical cover being of greater area than the picture screen of said set and adapted for disposition in front of said screen, the rear side of said cover having a dull surface of low lightrefiecting characteristics, a rearwardly disposed horizontal supporting arm integrally formed with the upper edge portion of said cover, and a suction cup and pin combination adapted for rotatably aifixing said shade to the top of said set for horizontal movement of said cover into said sector between the viewers and the picture screen to the extent desired, and a rearwardly disposed horizontal bottom flange portion on said cover, and reinforcing braces interconnecting said cover with said arm and said flange.

3. An adjustable opaque blind for use in combination with a television set to vary the visible sector of the picture screen in a horizontal plane, said blind comprising a vertical member being of greater area than the picture screen of said set and adapted for disposition in front of said screen, the rear side of said member having a dull surface of low light-reflecting characteristics, a rearwardly disposed supporting arm integrally formed with the upper edge portion of said member, and a suction cup and pin combination near the outer end of said arm adapted for rotatably affixing said blind to the top of said set for horizontal movement of said member into said sector between the viewers and the picture screen to the extent desired.

4. An adjustable opaque blind for use in combination with a television set to vary the visible sector of the picture screen in a horizontal plane, said blind comprising a flat rectangular vertical member being of greater area than the picture screen of said set and adapted for disposition in front of said screen, the rear side of said memher having a dull surface of low light-reflecting characteristics, a rearwardly disposed supporting arm integrally formed with the upper edge portion of said member, and a suction cup and pin combination near the outer end of said arm adapted for rotatably atfixing said blind to the top of said set for horizontal movement of said member into said sector between the viewers and the picture screen to the extent desired, and a rearwardly disposed bottom flange portion on said member, and reinforcing braces interconnecting said member with said arm and said flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,956,196 Korab Apr. 24, 1934 2,431,830 Rose Dec. 2, 1947 2,496,752 Rose Feb. 7, 1950 2,759,178 Rose Aug. 14, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 675,925 Great Britain July 15, 1932 1,160,927 France Aug. 13, 1958 

